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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2022 with funding from 
Columbia University Libraries 


httos://archive.org/details/reportofcommitteOOnati_ 15 


The Committee on Literature has the honor to submit its report 
as follows: 


INTRODUCTION 


There is no question that is more important in the work of spread- 
ing the Kingdom than the production of literature that can be easily 
circulated among the people. The history of the success of the enter- 
prise of missions in any part of the world is closely related to the pro 
duction and distribution of adequate literature. From earliest times 
the writing and copying of letters and epistles which were publicly read 
contributed to the spread of Christianity in a very effective way. We 
are the heritors of the efforts of illustrious predecessors to keep be- 
‘ fore the people the teachings of Christianity by means of the publication 
of books and periodicals that will find their way into the homes of 
many who would not otherwise obtain the knowledge of the Gospel. 
Whatever may be the results of this Conference and the resolutions 
adopted, it seems to this Committee that no effort should be spared 
to continue a permanent survey that will bring further information, 
more than what is available at the present time. 

The Committee expresses regret at not having received more than 
ten partial reports from an equal number of places and in some of them 
the information given is entirely inadequate, many of the questions 
having remained unanswered. Therefore, this report is necessarily 
very brief. 


EXISTING LITERATURE 
An attempt was made to learn something about 


A Production, and a number of catalogues were secured from book- 
stores and publishing houses. 

1. Porrua Hermanos, of 2a del Relox esquina a Donceles, Mexico, 
D. F., offer for sale all kinds of Spanish books on philosophy, sociology, 
history, and literature, and an endless list of novels and books of short 
stories. Figarola Maurin, Apartado 1046, Barcelona, Spain, offers an 
extensive catalogue of works of all kinds covering the whole range of 
literature, except that of Evangelical religious works. The Book De- 
partment of the Committee of Cooperation in Latin America in New 
York City presents a long list of books many of them supplying the lack 
just noted above. Such concerns as the Casa Bautista de Publicaciones, 
Box 211, El Paso, Texas, are constantly producing books helpful to evan- 
gelicals. No study was undertaken of the flood of books pouring from 


presses in Cuba, Argentine, Chile, and Central America. Even a casual 
survey of books in Spanish leads one to conclude that there is no lack 
in quantity at least. The house of Lago in New York City has an ex- 
tensive catalogue of Spanish books, as also that of Ignacio E. Lozano, 
San Antonio, Texas. , 

As to the production of pamphlets and tracts, these are largely 
evangelical in nature and printed and distributed for propaganda pur- 
poses, and there is no end of agencies, organizations and individuals 
engaged in this line of activity. 

Nor is there any lack of periodicals, strange as this might seem 
to those who have understood that illiteracy is very extensive among 
Spanish-speaking peoples. In Mexico and here in the United States 
from New York to San Diego there are all kinds of periodicals in 
Spanish, magazines, weekly and daily papers, ranging from the cheap- 
est yellow daily and most partisan publication to great dignified publi- 
cations like El Universal and La Nueva Democracia, and including 


everything from salacious sex story magazines to eer comers TET 
QE papers of high type. hn 


2. Subjects. There are few books on evangelism, one of the best 
having been recently issued by the Baptist Publishing House in El Paso. 
Most of the tracts are evangelistic in nature while some of the religious 
weeklies give SDA Se to articles on evangelism poe frequently. () 


Us CUUCATLO romp the ans Sore al ndpomd 


(1) tthe xe ere 8 niaaber of books available on ‘the Bibject iets 
Religious Mducation, but the supply is far from adequste, In 
the matter of Teacher Training, mention should be made of the 
Course offered by the Union Theological Seminary of Mexico City, 
of that offered wader the direction of the Baptist Publishing 
House of 41 PasQ, ond of the Southern Methodist Course, offered 
in Spanish through the Theological Lepartment of lydia Patterson 
institute, §1 Paw Ge 

4@ think that some step should be taken looking toward the 
ooordination of efforts in the preparation of textbooks to be 
wed in Teacher Training, and in the awarding of eredite for 
WORE GOn@s 

war rarery cvuucueua mm ule TeUgIOUS papers. 

3. Agencies for the production of books, tracts and periodicals have 
been mentioned already in this report and there exist many others, 
such as the American Bible Society, the various Tract Societies, and 
publishing houses like the Methodist Book Concern which has just issued 
in Spanish Dr. Fosdick’s Meaning of Prayer. The_Bible House of Los 
Angeles has a select list of tract publicatfons. Which are of a very 
useful character. There are other houses doing this kind of work and 
particularly among the smaller sects strictly dogmatic tracts are con- 
stantly issued. 

B Circulation, especially of religious books in Spanish is far from 
being what it should be. 


In the first place existant religious literature is very little known 
by those who would be interested in purchasing and using it, and this 
is true not only of religious books, but of good books not expressly in 
the field of religion. The reason this literature is so little known is 
that the publishing houses seem to make no attempt to reach the general 
public, and too often their advertising reaches only the small circle of 
their own denominational constituency. 

As a result of the above, there is not a very wide use of religious 
literature among Spanish-speaking people, and for another reason also, 
that of the high price, for books of this nature printed in Spain or Ar- 
gentine, Mexico or the U. S. and then imported into other countries 
usually cost a great deal more than those who would or should use them 
can afford to pay. 

This committee would suggest that some central agency like the 
Committee on Cooperation, which already has one of the most complete 

ions Ste 7a , 1 VA Wane Late of avaneolical ministers 
inte rte 
(2) We feel that the cape rintendents of the various Missions 
‘mong “penish-spenking people cen aid greatly in the circuletion 
of literature by giving constant emphasis to the matter, and by 
ke@ping the worlmrs under their direction supplied with 
Gatalogues end lists of books md treats, 


ee ee eee Cee eee greet Geet Ae Res vere a. Gates | 
are safe and sane and yet potent in arresting attention and in bringing . 
the reader to a decision for Christ. 

There is also need for a new Spanish hymnal. The Pentecostal 
people put out hymn books at very low prices, and consequently their 
hymns take the place of any others in many of our protestant churches 
and the people are singing and absorbing Pentecostal doctrines, G 


The Committee on | 
a new ST Be.) Hymual” 1s -imcour of preparation. under ti 
(3) Ve. are infomed that a hymn-pook suitable for use in the 
| Blementary Depsrinments of the Cunday Gekeol (hac, boon published 
by irs .Rffie Naylor, in ‘Uubss ‘lithe @onmittoe on Cooperation in 
| Latineimerics Has gethered matericl for the ‘pubiidetion ‘of 2 
geners) iiymit'l' in Spanish, ilso, a Committee of Southern 
Methodist workers in the Gubén end Mexican fields has done 
considerable work looking towrd the preparation of a hymnal 
thet steps should be taken to secure the utilizetion, in a 
eooperatiw way, of a1] the material g@edlable in the field of 
Cmgresational and other religious musics, 
submit the names of music of three or four hymns with Spanish words 
which you would consider the most desirable for the purpose you men- 
tion. Our recording activities are governed by the demands of our 
trade and must be placed upon a profitable basis. We might explain 
that it would not pay to record a record specially unless we were as- 
sured of a sale of one thousand (1000) or more at the time the record 
is annonneed.” (4 


: Inserte 

(4) It is advisable, in our Opinion, that this Conference take 
‘ome step in the effort to meet these conditions, and secure 
iho preparation of suitable Words. 


eo vat , 
eee 2Viscd i 


i 


Many of the Mexican people have phonographs in their own homes, 
and make much use of them. A good hymn record would teach its les- 
son of devotion and inspiration every time it was used, and to all who 
were within hearing distance of it. This would seem a very fruitful 
avenue through which to send out the evangelical message to the people. 


ce Bee: Ce eee pee 
PR RE. MRE) oS eRe TEE 

The problem of what can be done for cooperative production of 
eraded lessons in Spanish and other helps for religious education re- 
solves itself into the problem of how to publish such helps at a loss. 
If money can be found for publishing them there is no doubt of their 
filling a great want and doing great good, but it seems to be impossible 
to make them pay for themselves. 

The existing agencies already doing their bit in the production of 
new religious literature in Spanish are probably best qualified to con- 
tinue that work under the present circumstances, and if they could be 
adequately supported so as to increase their production, and if they 
could cooperate at least to the extent of preventing duplication, it would 
be a great advance. A good saving of expense would also be accom- 
plished. 

The setting apart of the Rev. Dr. Wm. Wallace, D. D., by the Pres- 
byterian Church for special literature production work is an indica- 
tion of the line along which one church is attempting to meet the need 
for religious literature in Spanish and should serve as an example and 
incentive to other denominations. (5 
“Nueva Send ee 

inserte 
(5) ve think a budget of ai bop task" de needed for the maintenance 
of Nueva Gendn, and elsewhere, in this report we are making. .. 
rec Qumendation rerarding the meeting of this need. 


SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS ANSWERED 


As to what attitude toward the United States is taught by 

A. The literature put out by religious agencies. It can be safely 
said that for the most part it does not touch upon that question at all, but 

B. the literature actually read by Mexicans and Spanish-Americans, 
that is their Spanish newspapers and handbills, etc., often inculcate a 
hostile attitude toward Americans. Mostly there is frank suspicious- 
hess and resentfulness, and the assigning of the lowest motives to 
Americans as individuals and to the government and the country as a 
whole. 

Religious periodicals generally give a fair and true picture of 
American conditions, ideals, and traditions, but the secular papers are 
often unfair, pointing out the evil without noting the good, and follow- 
ing the example of our own American papers, give the largest place to 
scandal, immorality and injustice. 


Protestant religious literature has for years shown deep sympathy 
with Mexico in its struggle for self-expression, attributing the present 
conditions in Mexico to their true cause in religious oppression and 


lack of education, and together with the majority of the secular Spanish 
newspapers, sustaining the present government of Mexico in its prac- 
tices and policies. 

There are some text books in Spanish published by the U. 8. gov- 
ernment for use in schools in Porto Rico and the Philippines, but if 
Spanish-Americans and Mexicans are being educated here in the U. 8. 
it would be in the English language and there would be little need for 
or use of literature published in Spain, Mexico, or South America. 
The only use for such literature would be by advanced students in 
Spanish, i. e. Mexican or Spanish-speaking students studying their 
native tongue and using literature as supplementary reading. 


In answering the question related to literature to facilitate the 
learning of Spanish the committee would reply that there is no “mini- 
mum of Spanish” appropriate for the American church and social work- 
ers save a complete and full command of the beautiful idiom of Cer- 
vantes, as work without a knowledge of Spanish is almost impossible 
among the Mexicans here, and the more complete his command of the 
language, the more easily does success come to the worker in making 
the desired contacts, and while a worker with a “minimum of Spanish” 
may sometimes win the Spanish-speaking people by some kindly minis- 
try, sooner or later they are alienated by the murdering of the language. 
Such books for the learning of Spanish by Berlitz, Cortina and Ramsay 
are highly recommended. 

Some of the reports have shown that an inquiry has been- made 
into the matter of Spanish publications available in the public libraries 
and it is satisfactory to notice that in many places quite a large col- 
lection of books is kept and circulated. One library in California, (San 
Bernardina) circulates them by mail with very acceptable success, we 
are informed. In Los Angeles City library the circulation of Spanish 


Oo OONX 2 manth which is the highest among the foreign 
insert, i. ‘ 3 . 


“p@ ish-speaking 


wang Rtonio. 


limited number. Wkhrans. a0 Vk ern arn ——- -. 

In the realm of Sunday School literature there is not the quantity 
nor the quality that the work demands. There is room for a good 
interdenominational quarterly with plenty of material for all grades 
and some good illustrations. 
os sta Fedeair 

The use ef the publications from the Union Publishing House is 
to be commended. But the Sunday School Quarterly, needs a great 


deal of improvement to make it useful for everybody NV Raggimmmmemestemmtans 


Scéhool work have been produced and. it is to be 1 

that therd Bee be Litth Hiteiditiiel the matter which ake | 
(7) The Baptist Publishing House of Il Paso is doing considersh le 
work in the preparation of Sundsy "school litersture for thet 
denomination, The ©usrterly Review, published by the Southern 
Methodist workers in Cuba, is used in & mumber of schools in our 
territory. the "Notes Explicativas", published by the Committee 
of Cooperation in Jatin Ameriaa, fomi a valuable contribution to 
the litersture on tle International Uniform lessons. ‘he Graded 
Litembure, prepared in Spanish through the cooper tion of several 
denominations , are eyailable through the Primary bepartment, ond 
most of the Junior departments and the lessons for the Inte mediate 
Department are in process of preparation. ‘These lessons sre of the 
same dherecter as the Graded Lessons used in mosi well-organized 
English-speaking Sunday Schools, and constitute 2 most valuable 
Lition to the litersture for Sunday Sehoo] work in Spanish. 


nm manda 












insert 
(8) We are pleased to imow thst the american Sible Soelety 
contemplates the prepi ration of 4 Conpordence in :ganish, te 
be published in connegtion with some of its Bibles. ‘this is 
greatly needed, and we hope 1t will soon be sgcomplished. 
wish to express our heartiest appreciation of the very fing 
missionary work dome by the .meriean Bible Society in the 
distribution of the Scriptures among Spanish-speaking aad 
similar groupe 


Respectfully submitted, 
KE. M. SEIN, Chairman. 


Los Angeles, California, November, 1926. 


